Get a New Resume…Get Job Offers…Right?

Get a new resume and get interviews.  Is that all there is to it?

Having a clean, clear, logical resume that can be scanned by a human being in a matter seconds is absolutely a requirement in in the world today where attention spans are short. 

But is a great resume alone a strategy?  Not so much. It’s only part of a well-thought-out job search strategy.

Recently, I saw something on one of my client’s on-line applications that you should know about.  Next to the place on their application where a candidate could upload a resume, the on-line form asked for a candidate’s LinkedIn URL. 

This was a new request that I hadn’t seen before. I knew that companies were looking candidates up on LinkedIn but I’d never seen a company directly ask for a candidate’s LinkedIn URL.

What’s The Big Deal?

Employers are looking at job candidates on LinkedIn.  When your LinkedIn profile is reviewed by anybody, you’re making a first impression in a matter of seconds.  I don’t know exactly how many seconds it takes to form a LinkedIn first impression but I can tell you from my own experience in searching for talent on LinkedIn that most of my LinkedIn visits aren’t long visits.

• If you’re not currently leveraging what I call the header portion of your LinkedIn profile, the space above your name and your photo, consider doing so.  Here’s what leveraging the header looks like.  This move alone will differentiate you from the crowd.

If you decided to build a header similar to this one for your own LinkedIn profile, be aware of the pop-ups LinkedIn occasionally places over your headers pace and avoid putting an image or text in these areas.

Tips For Building a Great LinkedIn Profile

• LinkedIn is a business platform. For best results, your LinkedIn photo should be a business photo that presents the best version of you.
• If your LinkedIn profile can’t be visually scanned (not fully read) in a matter of seconds in order for the visitor to your profile to determine who you are, where you are, what you’re great at, what kinds of problems you solve, what kinds of opportunities you create and what kind of value you create for employers or clients, it should be built to do so.
• If the message on your LinkedIn profile isn’t strategically built to align with the message carried in your resume and the message you’ll share when you interview, it should be aligned.
• Just like writing a great resume, writing an effective LinkedIn profile requires a blend of business writing, technical writing and creative writing combined with strategy.  If writing in this manner is not your gift, consider asking for help from someone who does LinkedIn Profile Optimization Coaching.  Be sure that this person actually knows what a recruiter looks for when they visit a LinkedIn Profile.

What Else is Part of a Job Search Strategy?

If your resume or your LinkedIn profile grab someone’s attention and you’re invited to a telephone interview or a face-to-face interview, be sure that the message you’ll share when you interview aligns with your resume’s message and your LinkedIn Profile’s message.

For over 26 years working as a recruiter, it is common that the verbal message a job candidate shares with me tells one story and the story I read on their resume is another story. 

Today, LinkedIn plays a part in a person’s messaging.  More often than not, I see a gap between a job seeker’s resume and their LinkedIn messaging and I hear another disconnect when they pick up the phone to call me.

This alignment I’m referring can and should be addressed.

Jeff Snyder’s, JeffSnyderCoaching.com Coaching Blog, 719.686.8810

LinkedIn Job Search Coaching Results

My LinkedIn Coaching clients are taught how to build their LinkedIn profile so it is attractive to recruiters and hiring authorities.  These results belong to a Resume Writing client who also took advantage of my LinkedIn Coaching services.  Out of 1,599 people in his company, his LinkedIn Profile sits in the top 1% of profiles viewed.  

This top 1% ranking has everything to do with the LinkedIn Coaching this particular client received from Jeff Snyder Coaching.

I Just Joined the LinkedIn Police Force

No, I didn’t really do that.  I don’t know if there is such a police force. It just seems to me that there are a lot of people who are deciding for other people what is and is not okay to post on LinkedIn. Do people really have that much time on their hands?

I post Cybersecurity News and Cybersecurity Vulnerability and Patch Reports every week.  I also post information to help others to understand Strengths and Emotional Intelligence.  These are two topics I coach my clients around with great results.  

Next, I post articles that I write for LinkedIn on topics such as Leadership, Hiring, Talent, Emotional Intelligence, Strengths, Career Development, Career Coaching, etc.

I'm also guilty of sharing what are generally really good security jobs for people who want to advance their careers.  

My intention with everything I post on LinkedIn is to bring value to people who are kind enough to follow my content.  Will everyone like everything that I post?  I suspect not.  In fact, I know that not everyone likes what I post because I lose a follower or two every week.

On the other hand, I’m picking up several followers every week so I’ll continue to share what I share for those who seem to appreciate what I share.

If there is a LinkedIn Police Force as I suggested above, I don’t have time to joint it so don’t worry.

Jeff Snyder’s, Jeff Snyder Coaching, Security Recruiter Blog, 719.686.8810

LinkedIn Invitations Register First Impressions

These three people sent LinkedIn invitations to me.  The first invitation is outstanding.  I asked the person who sent this invitation for permission to use his information.

1. His picture is an excellent business photo.
2. Had I not blocked out his name, you would see a full name and a CPP certification showing me that this is a corporate security professional.
3. This person has a full and descriptive title.
4. I was compelled to accept this LinkedIn invitation quickly.

1. Since I have over 29,400 LinkedIn connections, I've learned to quickly spot what appear to be fraudulent invitations.  The photo on this invitation looks more like a Google+ or Facebook photo. It is not a LinkedIn business photo. This one doesn't look right.
2. No thanks

1. I like to connect to people, not blank images and not company logos.  I like to see who I'm connecting to.  There is obviously no photo.  
2. There was a name until I blocked it out but it is just a name.
3. I didn't erase this person's title. There was no title showing on his invitation.
4. No thanks

You're Making First Impressions

When you send LinkedIn invitations, even before someone clicks on your LinkedIn profile and looks at your profile, what I've just shown is truly the first impression you're making on LinkedIn.  

If you want help to polish up your LinkedIn first impression, I can help you.  This is representative of the kinds of results my LinkedIn Coaching Clients are achieving.

When my clients align their Resume message with their LinkedIn message and the message they take to an Interview, this is how their results turn out.

"They made the offer now we're to the money round. Starting in mid January. Thanks for everything." 

"Working on final interviews...Currently I am the preferred candidate for both companies...our coaching sessions definitely helped me get here." 

"I have accepted an offer...they are matching my compensation and adding a pretty good amount of signing bonus to make up for the bonus I used to receive. Your assistance and thoughtful guidance at the onset is much appreciated. I will be in touch to do the leadership coaching."

  
Call me when you're ready for the kinds of results my clients are achieving.

Jeff Snyder Coaching, 719.686.8810